By Stephen Hemelt
L’Observateur

CONVENT — Tyler Jasmin, a 25-year-old St. James High School graduate, represents a change of face on the St. James Parish School Board, where the political newcomer was voted into office this week to serve District 6.

Jasmin joins District 3’s Sue Bienvenu Beier, District 5’s Dianne Spencer and District 7’s Raymond L. Gros Jr. as four new members who will sit on the Board next year.

Jasmin defeated fellow candidate Freida Boughton Tuesday by collecting 756 votes, compared to Boughton’s 676 votes.

Jasmin and Boughton were running for the seat occupied by School Board President Charlie Nailor, who chose not to seek reelection.

Jasmin said he was relieved and excited to win and is ready to put in the work for his community and the children.

“After (the voters) got to know me a little bit, I kind of felt like they got the motivation to go vote, because they know what I am about,” Jasmin said. “I’m for the kids. I dedicated my life to St. James Parish. I’ve went through all the school houses, and I’m just trying to give back.”

Jasmin said he attended two years of schooling at Nicholls State University and is set to graduate in December from the chemical operations program at Crowning Achievement at White Castle High.

He said he is currently employed at a painting company.

In other school board races, a runoff will be needed for the District 1 seat, where incumbent Diana Cantillo earned 464 votes (37.75 percent), compared to Paul D. Taylor (383 votes, 31.16 percent) and Darren Brack (382 votes, 31.08 percent).

The election between Cantillo and Taylor is scheduled Dec. 6 and coincides with the runoff for Louisiana U.S. Senator between incumbent Mary Landrieu and challenger Bill Cassidy.

In District 2, incumbent Kenneth Foret faced a challenge from Peggy Richard, winning the election with 922 votes or 60.10 percent compared to Richard’s 612 votes (39.90 percent).

The District 3 race that featured incumbent Carol Lambert and Beier saw the newcomer secure the win with 961 votes (59.88 percent) compared to Lambert’s 644 votes.

Beier described her emotions the morning after the election as “wonderful.”

She credited her experience in education as a classroom teacher for 22 years as the reason why St. James voters connected with her message.

“I want to be a voice for our children and our teachers,” she said. “I think people wanted change.”

The School Board’s District 4 race saw incumbent George Nassar Jr. earn the victory with 748 votes (63.82 percent), compared to Michael Green (185 votes) and Jared P. Amato (239 votes).

District 5 School Board Member Patricia Schexnayder lost a challenge from Spencer, who collected 716 votes (51.22 percent) compared to Schexnayder’s 682 votes (48.78 percent).

In District 7, voters did not choose incumbent Ricky Reulet, who finished with 442 votes (30.59 percent) compared to winning challenger Gros, who garnered an impressive 959 votes (66.37 percent).

Carlos R. Charles finished a distant third with 44 votes or just more than three percent of the turnout.

In municipal elections, Steve Nosacka won the open mayor’s office in Gramercy in convincing fashion with 902 votes (65.41 percent) compared to Jeanne L. Louque (313 votes, 22.70 percent) and Steven Bourgeois (164 votes, 11.89 percent).

The candidates were running for the seat held by Mayor Terry Borne, who announced during the summer at a town hall meeting he would not be seeking re-election.

Nosacka credited his win to voters recognizing the progress Borne and the council had made in stabilizing the operations of the town, with water, sewer, drainage and police protection and seeing his service as an extension of that.

“With all of those town functions stable and operating with stability, what I see is we will be more concerned with services to people and helping our people with jobs, education, activity for our kids and recreation,” Nosacka said. “Those are all things we can focus on because all the basics are being met by real capable people.”

Nosacka said creating recreation, education and cultural activities for Gramercy’s children would be his focus.

Gramercy Chief of Police Brent Dicharry defeated a challenge from David E. Detillier by securing 1,170 votes (87.64 percent) compared to Detillier’s 165 votes.

Craig B. Calcagno and Clyde Wiggins captured the open two seats for Gramercy Aldermen at Large, besting a challenge from Rubenstein Mitchell Clark. The race for District 2 Alderman in Gramercy saw Jody M. Bourgeois (355 votes, 77.34 percent) defeat Shelly M. Warren.

In Lutcher, Police Chief Dwan Bowser (82.67 percent, 1,345 votes) won a challenge over Iana Gaines Joseph (282 votes), while Alderman at Large Darlene Riley (64.1 percent, 1,023 votes) won a challenge from Tee Williams (573 votes).

The 23rd Judicial District included two races for judge, where O’Neil Parenton defeated Jason M. Verdigets. They were running for the spot held by Division A Judge Ralph Tureau, who did not seek re-election.

Parenton finished with 3,921 votes, compared to Verdigets’ 2,221 votes.

Tess Percy Stromberg defeated Bruce Unangst II for the judge’s spot held by Division C Judge Guy Holdridge, who did not seek re-election. Stromberg finished with 3,920 votes, compared to Unangst’s 1,596 votes.

The contested Justice of the Peace races included District 1, where Mary Rodrigue Walker defeated Alex Scott; District 3, where Stephen Louque defeated Christina Gary; and District 7, where Marie Lewis bested Sharon A. Steib.

The contested Constable elections included District 1, where a mere eight votes — according to initial numbers — gave Kerry Walker (564 votes) a win over Alex Gerhold IV (556 votes); District 2, where Arthur M. Harper topped Mike Gordon; District 3, where Steven LeMoine gained more than 50 percent of the vote compared to Perry Gaudin and Marty Louque; and District 6, where Vanessa James topped Ronald Boudreaux.